Background widths

[Blasted]

Morning,

I'm curious about peoples thoughts and experiences with backgrounds, specifically their widths.

I have one of the larger back ground supports that Lencarta did and I'm interested in the white/grey double sided vinyl that Bessel are doing. Obviously there are a number of different sizes available and all differ in cost.

I think the immediate thought is to go for the wider 2.7m background. The stand is 3m wide and to have as long as possible.

In the real world I have to think about where I'm going to use it and storage. Slightly less wide makes transport easy, and I'm thinking longer gives me scope to move the subject away from the background.

Would a 2m x 6m be a god compromise or should I go for the 2.7. On occasion I would like to shoot small groups possible 4 people wide tops.

Thanks

 

[Tunbridge]

I use 2.75m wide paper roles on a 3m background support. I only use it in a temp step-up home studio and it is big, however it gives me more scope when I’m shooting my kids, who don’t stand still. It also fits in my car, a 3 series estate, but only just diagonally across the car with one end resting on the nearside dash board and the other corner in the offside corner of the boot! Luckily I haven’t taken it out to anyone elses house but if I needed to I could, plus I know I can pick it up from the parcel depot when I miss delivery.
Storage wise, the only place I have is my garage and I have it on a horizontal shelf to support it along its entire length so it doesn’t sag. It also goes back into its original plastic sleeve, tapped up at the end to try and keep the damp of it, and then in its original cardboard box. Luckily I can get between my garage and temp home studio without going outside. Time will tell how well the paper lasts but I’ve used a roll of white twice now with minimal damage and it rolled back up fine.
I did consider vinyl but was put off by the costs (as it’s only a hobby) and the fact that some people say they still crease.

 

[Garry Edwards]

That's one of those "How long is a piece of string" type questions, nobody can answer it.

Except to say that the wider the background is, the easier your life will be.

It's good to get as much distance as possible between subject and background, and the more distance there is, the greater the effect of perspective distortion, so the wider the background will need to be.

Then again, if space is tight you may end up using a wide lens, shooting from a short distance. Again, this will add to the perspective distortion, and you will need a bigger background.

Of course, if you can shoot in a large building from a long way away with a 200mm lens, you will be able to manage with a narrower background.

 

[Blasted]

Thanks,

I appreciate its one of those questions where there is no right answer. Storage for the time being isn't an issue, so i'm tempted to just go for it and make hay whist the sun shines as they say (not the best analogy for someone locked in doors with bad hay fever.)

 

[JonathanRyan]

Measure your car, get the next size up, cut to size.

 

[Diving Pete]

how about this as an idea:

buy the size you need.
measure the outside diameter of it.
go to any diy centre
buy a length of pipe (drainage / sewer ) - whatever fits,
get 1 x endcap (& solvent glue it on)
get 1 x twist on lid & cap
insert background into tube / pipe
put on lid
fit roofbars
attach to roof.

You can thank Chris Burfoot for this....

 

[Diving Pete]

If its longer than 3m just get a pipe joiner & another pipe & cut that to fit.

 

[Tunbridge]

I like that idea, even as a more robust way of storing paper roles in my garage. I guess putting a load of Silica Crystals in the tube would also be beneficial to keep any damp off the background.

 

[V8burble]

I like that idea, even as a more robust way of storing paper roles in my garage. I guess putting a load of Silica Crystals in the tube would also be beneficial to keep any damp off the background.

And remember that if the silica gel has been about for a while it will have soaked up water from the ambient to whatever that %RH is so you might like to pop it in the oven to dry it out a bit first if the ambient %RH is higher than about 50% (just warm it up, don't burn it )